Comment by flyinglizard | Hacker News Reader

Comment by flyinglizard | Hacker News Reader

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"Justified" in what sense? Who does this administration - or indeed USA in general - answer to?

Folks there's nothing new or insane here. Countries attacked other countries all throughout human history. The surprise is when they don't.

Now it's not super hard to understand why Trump is fixated on Venezuela in terms of geopolitics. There's a decision by this admin to bolster US in the western hemisphere, possibly in preparation to coming to terms with a bipolar world split between US and China. So the US is now meddling with Canada and Greenland. Now with the shift towards the right in Latam (Milei in Argentina, Bukele in El Salvador, Kast in Chile) Trump is just pushing a few more bricks to create a more uniform American-led sphere. Plus, Venezuela was very close with the Iranians and Russians, so removing this regime surely serves some strategic goals.

> "Justified" in what sense?

"Justified" in the sense of "went to congress for a declaration of war". You know, that thing Presidents stopped doing in the early 2000s.

The War Powers Resolution (WPR) of 1973 sets a 60-day limit for U.S. forces in hostilities without a formal declaration of war or congressional authorization, allowing for a potential 30-day extension for withdrawal, totaling 90 days, after which the President must remove troops.

Examples of bombings/ground invasions using WPR without congressional AUMF:

Invasion of Grenada (1983) (7,300 US troops, 19 KIA)

Invasion of Panama (1989) (27,000 troops, 23 KIA)

Airstrikes on Libya (1986) (and 2011) [Obama administration argued they did not need Congressional authorization because the operations did not constitute "hostilities" as defined by the War Powers Resolution. Therefore, they argued, the 60-day clock never started.]

Kosovo Air Campaign (1999) [The bombing campaign lasted 78 days in violation of the 60-day limit]

The Mayaguez Incident (1975)

Syria Missile Strikes (2017 & 2018)

Assassination of Qasem Soleimani (2020)

The US Congress didn't pass a declaration of war for Vietnam, Lebanon, Laos, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Honduras, Panama, or Iraq I, all before the 2000s and since the last declaration (WWII). That doesn't include the UN-authorised military interventions.

While I in no way endorse whatever batshit insane things Trump is doing, I don't think the US has issued a declaration of war since WW2. Declarations of war have been quite rare internationally in general since the end of WW2 outside of a few examples.

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